Afro-Guayaquileños mostly live in the impoverished belts of Guayaquil and have been made to believe their customs are ‘the worst’, say activistsPainted with the support of the city council in 2017, a mural spanning the entire side of a six-story building in Guayaquil’s financial district went largely unnoticed for more than a year in Ecuador’s most populous city – until it triggered outrage.The painting showed two men grappling over money: one dressed in a suit, tie and shoes, with fair skin; the other shirtless, in shorts, flip-flops and a stocking mask. He was dark-skinned. Continue reading...
Afro-Guayaquileños in Guayaquil, Ecuador, face invisibility and marginalization, living in impoverished areas with their customs often dismissed. A controversial mural, initially overlooked, sparked outrage for perpetuating racist stereotypes, leading to its removal in 2020 and replacement with murals celebrating Black resistance. Activists, including Guillermo Leones Pacheco and Carlos Valencia Lastra, are preserving Black culture through music like marimba and bomba, addressing historical and systemic inequalities. Despite efforts, the community grapples with unemployment, violence, and cultural extinction risks due to limited government support.
